Jesus Defined the Church

 Jesus Defined His Kingdom

Book of Matthew Chapter 16

There is no doubt that the greatest thing the Lord Jesus Christ did for us was to die for our sins! 

Our sin debt has been paid and we stand on Holy ground before our Heavenly father.

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 

Rom 3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 

Rom 3:26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 

Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

What a blessing that has been bestowed upon us!

The greatest thing that the Lord Jesus Christ has done for this world is the formation and the leadership of the Church!

We must know that every building with a steeple is not a church.

Every group of people claiming religion is not a church.

Every time a news source claims a church did this or a church did that, does not mean they are talking about the true church.

Only those who gather in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ where the Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church are the true Church.

Only those who gather in the power of the Holy Spirit are the true Church.

Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 

Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 

Joh 14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 

It is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth who powers the true Church in this world!

Saying all this, we must know that the Church has tares within the congregation, and they are hard to find but the Lord said He would remove them.

This includes such people as the Pharisees of the Old Testament.

Mat 13:29  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

This does not mean we cannot stop someone in the Church from doing wrong and stop them from attending with us in fellowship. 

We must be Holy in the House of God!

So Jesus has a little test for His disciples.

*****Mat 16:13  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 

We could ask this same question today? Whom does the world think that Jesus is?

Even today, it is important for the Church to know what the world thinks about the Lord Jesus Christ.

The message of the Church is the Gospel, and this will always be true, but the way the "Gospel" is presented is determined by what the world thinks about our Lord.

We may have to think back when we were lost in this dying world, what did we think about Jesus?

When our Lord was asking these questions, He knew it was but a short time until He faced the death of the Cross.

We already know that the greatest sin in this world is to be ignorant of the Lord Jesus Christ!

To the average man Jesus was highly esteemed and respected.

When Jesus asked this question, that word "men" was not intended to be the Jews only but all the people in and about that part of the world.

We see what the world thinks of Jesus today, but the Lord Jesus Christ changed this world when He walked upon this earth!

We know that an opinion is a "judgment" of someone without having much knowledge of that person.

What do we know about the world today?

Joh 7:7  The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

Joh 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

The world hates the Lord Jesus Christ!

What did the world say then?

*****Mat 16:14  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 

Remember King Herod thought that Jesus was a resurrection of John the Baptist and John the Baptist was the Messiah.

The Bible states in so many words that the Prophet Elijah will return, and some thought Jesus was he.

There was at that time a current tradition among the Jews, that either Jeremiah, or some other of the ancient prophets would rise again before the Messiah came.

We see what happens when we try to interpret the Bible and not study to see what God has said while rightly dividing the Bible.

We know for certain that the Lord Jesus Christ is indeed the Messiah, God in the flesh!

What had God told Moses?

Deu 18:15  The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 

Deu 18:16  According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 

Deu 18:17  And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 

Deu 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 

Deu 18:19  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 

The biggest problem we see is that no one actually took the time to see what God actually said and they depended upon men to tell them what God had said.

Every true prophet spoke the words God had told them to say, even the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 12:49  For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

Joh 12:50  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

Then Jesus asked his chosen disciples, what did they think.

*****Mat 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 

Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 

We know the "Gospel of Matthew" is not written in chronological order but as far as we know, how could Peter or any of these disciples believe that the Lord Jesus was not the Messiah.

How long had it been since Jesus walked upon the Sea of Galilee and saved Peter from drowning?

How long had it been since the Lord Jesus fed the 5000 plus?

They had seen the Lord Jesus heal person after person, continuously?

They had to see the Lord Jesus just speak and calm the seas and the winds?

How could they not believe that Jesus was the Messiah?

They had rested their beliefs on one thing, and it was their stumbling block.

They wanted another King David for their Messiah!

Jesus came as a Savior, which was far more important!

It was critical that these men knew the truth before Jesus went back to Heaven!

If they could not believe then, how could they continue to learn from Him.

Let us be honest we will never learn from those we do not trust!

We have to answer this same question today in faith or we cannot be saved!

Do we know the Anointed of God sent to this earth to provide a means of salvation?

Listen in as Jesus prays:

Joh 17:1  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 

Joh 17:2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 

Joh 17:4  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 

Joh 17:5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 

It is a fact Jesus did not come to convince us He was the Messiah. Jesus came to do the will of His Father!

Our Heavenly Father has provided us with His Holy Word, and it is up to us to believe Him or not!

It is not that God does not care, for He does, but God has humbled Himself one time and died upon a cruel cross. 

God will never humble Himself in that manner ever again.

He humbles Himself every time He listens to what we have to say!

Why should He do anything else? He has provided all we need to spend eternity with Him!

We can ask too much from Him!

I believe the Lord Jesus is exactly who He said He is, and I believe the Word of God came to us from Heaven!

Then Jesus teaches these disciples the platform of the Church.

*****Mat 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

Who are all those who will become the church? All those who agree with Peter that the Lord Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed One of God!

It was the Holy Spirit that revealed this to Peter.

Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 

Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 

Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me; 

Joh 16:10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 

Joh 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 

The natural man cannot receive the Holy Spirit!

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 

1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 

If you cannot think like Jesus Christ, you cannot be like Jesus Christ, and this is what being a Christian is all about!

Rom 1:3  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 

Rom 1:4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 

Rom 1:5  By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 

Rom 1:6  Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

Jesus came to inform the world a Church is a gathering of those who have the mind of Christ, so therefore He cannot be guilty of all those things He is being accused of doing.

It was the Apostle Peter who led 10 of those other men in the Doctrine of the Messiah to build the early Church and there were 12 again when the Lord called the Apostle Paul.

We see that when the Messiah returns to Heaven, something new "ecclesia" a community of others who believe as stated by the Apostle Peter.

"Thou art the Son of the Living God".

This is how the Church began and continues to thrive today!

To those who say they do not have saving faith, they should realize that no one had saving faith until they came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit just as the Lord Jesus said to Peter.

Peter would become that stone, a living stone, who would reveal the "Rock" of our salvation, the Living God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is not hard to understand, really it is very simple.

2Co_11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ did all the work, the Holy Spirit provides the conviction "and that first bit of faith" and just a call upon our Heavenly Father will get salvation for eternity.

Remembering that there is no other way! And there was no Church in existence at this time on earth!

The Church is not built upon the Apostle Peter even though he was instrumental in the beginning of the New Testament Church.

Peter had these words:

1Pe 2:3  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 

1Pe 2:4  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

1Pe 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 

1Pe 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 

1Pe 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 

Peter was one of those lively stones for his lifetime just as every believer is to be a "lively stone" today until our death!

We should keep in mind this was a New Covenant (New Testament) for the children of Israel, it is the only Covenant made to the Church!

*****Mat 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 

1) Peter is not guarding the entrance into Heaven with the keys to allow those he has chosen to enter!

2) The Lord Jesus did not mean for us to understand that Peter holds the keys to Heaven!

3) The Lord did not say Peter is holding the keys to the Church!

4) The Lord did not mean that the eternal destiny of our souls depended upon Peter!

What the Lord Jesus meant was that to Peter was given the administration of the of the "kingdom of heavens" here on earth.

Peter was designated the first appointed witness to the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" after the Lord returned to Heaven and after Pentecost when, each of the Apostle were filled with the Holy Spirit along with more than a hundred more.

Let us see this again in the context Jesus intended:

Mat 18:12  How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 

Mat 18:13  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 

Mat 18:14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. 

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 

Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 

Mat 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 

Mat 18:18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 

Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 

The keys to the Kingdom then, is being a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Having the keys to the kingdom is having the "Gospel Message"!

We open the door to Heaven when we are witnesses for the Lord!

We close the door to Heaven when we refuse to be witnesses of the truth of the "Gospel"!

But it was not yet time.

*****Mat 16:20  Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. 

Mat 16:21  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 

Why did Jesus say this?

These 12 men were not ready to be true witnesses of the Gospel, because they did not yet have the faith and they did not yet have all the truth.

1) They needed more preparation. 

2) The death, the burial, and the resurrection had not yet taken place.

3) The disciples needed the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, this would take place at Pentecost after the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

4) Most all the people did not understand the First Coming of the Messiah.

These things were to be clearly understood!

1Co 15:1  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 

1Co 15:2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

1Co 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

1Co 15:4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

Peter then shows us why he was not ready:

Peter did not have the Holy Spirit with in him, so Satan made an attempt to use him.

*****Mat 16:22  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 

You see the most important thing for us all is to believe what Jesus says!

Verse 21 said: "from that time forth Jesus began to show His disciples what was going to happen".

Jesus knows our future long before it happens!

Then Peter, who thought he understood it all, decided he knew more than his Master.

The Lord Jesus was using direct words and not symbols and parables.

The entire known world was fixing to change because of the knowledge given to these disciples.

Jesus was about to usher in the Kingdom of God making it possible for all believers to live eternally in the presence of God Himself.

These disciples needed to pay attention to what Jesus was saying.

The Lord Jesus Christ our God was totally committed to die for us!

Luk 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 

Luk 24:47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 

God gave us the Bible so we could understand what and why He does what He does, and especially so we can understand what is in our near future.

We could say that Peter just was not paying attention, but the Lord Jesus leads us to the truth.

*****Mat 16:23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 

Notice just after Jesus had appointed Peter to lead the soon to be Apostles, Satan sticks his ugly head in to again try to stop the Church before it begins.

You see Satan can enter anyone who does not have indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

2Ti_2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

This world either does not understand this or they reject it saying, the Satan does not exist, but it is still the whole complete truth.

It is by the Lord Jesus Christ that we break the bondage of Satan.

Notice the Lord Jesus did not speak to Peter, Jesus spoke directly to Satan!

As for Peter, he had to keep his mind on the things the that were important.

The Lord Jesus came to die, but that death must remain His choice and not something Satan was involved in!

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Mar 10:45  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

We just cannot allow ourselves to be used by Satan!

Then Jesus explains what He means by being His disciples.

*****Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 

Mat 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

If we are to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must deny ourselves.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Because the Lord Jesus gave all He had even His life, then who are we if we are unwilling to do the same.

It must be our will to follow the Lord Jesus Christ!

This means it must be our desire, our wish, our purpose, our determination be as much like the Lord Jesus as we can!

It is hard to deny one’s self, but it is a necessary thing to be a servant of the Lord and to be in the family of God!

We must say no to the world and yes to our Heavenly Father!

We must take up our own cross and follow the Lord, if for no other reason than because the Lord said so!

We must be a companion, a disciple, of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This body of flesh has no value, after all it was made from the materials of this world, but that soul is Heaven made and more valuable that all the materials upon this earth.

We must understand that once this union of life and soul is created, it will exist forever.

It is just a matter of where we go at the end of this world.

One will be in torment forever.

The other will be glorified and live with the Heavenly Father forever.

We have it in our ability to choose where we will spend eternity, it just takes faith.

1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

The Lord Jesus is praying that we will choose right.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Amen

Knowing the False Teacher in the Church

Identifying False Prophets

Book of 2 Peter 2:1-22

How many of us truly know how to recognize the false prophet? This means the false pastor, the false preacher, the false evangelist, the false bishop and any other false messenger, who are not called of God, but call themselves or allow some other group of men or women to call them.

God calls those who He chooses to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the Messiah)!

1Co 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

Who is that false preacher?

Let's listen to the called messenger of God, the Apostle Peter.

*****2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

We must remember Peter is writing to the Church. He is not talking about the world. Peter is saying these are men and women who are inside the Church!

Even Jesus warns of these people who are enemies of the Church.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In fact, as we see, these are false people who have made their way into the pulpits of the Church. This is even a sign of the soon coming Rapture of the Church, before the Second Coming of Christ.

Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.

It is the job of the Church to rid the Church of these evil people!

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1Jn 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

In the Church, heresy is departing from doctrine of faith that is in the works of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Heresy is any departure from the truth of the revelation of God!

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Any departure from the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of the Scriptures is "heresy", and those who do so must be removed from the church and it is the church body that has the responsibility to do so!

If you think that when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and this will not come up you are foolish, and there will be a terrible loss of rewards and if you stand before the Lord at the White Throne judgment you are fools if you try to use this as an excuse, that you were misled.

We all have the responsibility to study the Word of God to know that the men and in some case women (who already go against the Word of God) who are behind the pulpits, are preaching and teaching the truth.

Heresies are damnable, because it is only by the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we can avoid eternal damnation!

Many listen to these preachers of damnation, out of ignorance to the Word of God!

*****2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

We must clearly understand that to go against the Word of God is sin and sin that is unrepented brings eternal damnation!

Anyone who teaches and encourages people to live an immoral and unrestrained sin is a false preacher or teacher who is certainly not looking out for your spiritual welfare, but are working for the devil!

They will teach that Jesus is not the true Messiah sent from God.

They will teach that there is no Triune God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

They will teach that Jesus is certainly not any Lord and we have no Lord over our lives.

They will teach that there is no higher power and the best we can do is listen to the wisdom of the men from this world.

They will teach that there is no absolute truth and that we can live pretty much anyway we want to.

They teach lies that anyone with common sense can see straight through, but people just refuse to give up their sin and these liars just give them an excuse to do so!

I got news for you. If you belong to the Lord, you will give up all your petty sins or you are not His child!

These people speak evil of God and they teach those who are listening to them to do the same.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the early church:

Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

These people only use the church to fill their pocketbooks and their bellies!

*****2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

When we look up that word covetousness in the Strong's Dictionary of Greek and Hebrew words, we find the word "Avarice"

Avarice means the act of extortion, fraudulent, covetous, means to take someone elses money.

Avarice means seeking worldly wealth by any means possible, barely legal by loopholes and especially illegal or fraudulently.

We already known that wealth in itself is not a sin though the Bible does say Christians who have wealth were given that wealth to help the Church deliver the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" and also help the poor in the Church.

It is that craving for wealth that is such a sin!

The world operates under the rule of those who crave wealth and obtain it with any means possible!

It is that putting in place a means to extort that wealth from innocent victims that is such a terrible sin.

In fact it is that love of wealth that is obtained in this fashion that is sin!

1Ti_6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

God condemns this sin!

Isa 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

Jer 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

Jer 5:26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

Jer 5:27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

Mic 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Tit 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

These are just a handful of Scriptures warning the Church of false preachers and teachers.

This is exactly what the Apostle Peter is doing here. He is not only warning the Church, he is also teaching us how to know a false teacher when we see one, even knowing that they are deceivers who see Christians as easy pickings and an easy way to make great wealth.

They mold their words together to make them sound like what God has said.

They use artificial acts of kindness to lure their congregation.

They use fictitious results to entice the poor and the unhealthy into their audiences.

They devise their plans well to get maximum wealth from a people who are trusting in Jehovah God!

God has designed the Church to receive tithes and offerings and our wealth little or much, and it is never to be given to charlatans who care nothing for the things of God!

The truth is false teachers and false preachers will be judged and destroyed.

We may ask ourselves, why do some seem to keep going and keep amassing wealth, but we must leave these things in God's hands.

They are already judged, and they will see damnation!

In fact it is the greed of gain that dominates all our world today!

You cannot pay for a higher knowledge than the Word of God given to all freely!

You cannot pay for a higher holiness than the salvation plan of God also given to each believer freely, without cost!

They would cease to exist if the Church would listen to what the Lord does teach us!

1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Tit 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

God will exterminate these false, so-called men of God and it will be a terrible thing!

*****2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Judgment is coming to all to reject the truth of God but even more so to those who would distort the Word of God for their own profit!

Destruction is not now in this world compared to the destruction that is forthcoming from our Holy God!

Before the time of Adam and Eve there was the rebellion in Heaven and Lucifer and a third of the angels in Heaven.

Eze 28:16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Eze 28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

We know that Lucifer, now called Satan, the Devil, the Deceiver, and other names is used of God to cause temptation along with a few of those angels now called demons, but the worst of those angels are already locked away in the depths of hell.

Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

There is no escape for those who sin!

For Lucifer and those angels that rebelled with him there will never be an opportunity for forgiveness and even Heaven will be made new because there will not even be a trace of sin in the New Heaven that is to be our home.

Rev_21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

These same angels will be placed into the burning lake of fire along with Lucifer!

Another example given to us is the destruction of the old world.

*****2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

It amazes me that the climate alarmist speak of so many cities and coastlines that will be underwater by the time of 2030, yet artifact after artifact are discovered under our oceans almost daily.

There are always things going on in nature that we will never understand because we are not intended to understand.

Those could afford to have always built too close to shorelines.

There are roads, cities, foundations, pyramids and many other things from the past that are found under our oceans that were once on dry land when there were no automobiles.

When there were no power plants.

When there were no industries.

When there were no causes for greenhouse gases but nature itself and of course the animals who God chose to exist with us.

In the day of Noah, it was God who flooded this earth not because of greenhouse gases but because of sin.

Judgment is coming to all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

2Pe 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

We are foolish not to realize the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah!

These same sins are running rampant in our societies of today.

Sin can bring down the most magnificent cities of today just as it did in the days of Abraham.

Not one of these cities did escape and if you study the Bible there were five of those cities destroyed along with Sodom and Gomorrah.

Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

There is not one society of mankind that can hinder the judgment of God!

There is not one evil that can escape the destruction of God!

Only Lot and his two daughters escaped from Sodom.

Lot had been justified when He was with Abraham and this should be a lesson to us that Lot did not lose his salvation, but his godly testimony was ruined for the rest of his days. He had become useless in the work of God and became a drunk who was used of his two daughters whose lives were lives of confusion that brought to them damnation.

This is exactly what a false teacher will cause. Confusion that leads to damnation!

When you fall away from the truth of God after your salvation it can bring ruin to your entire family!

There is no one who rejects the truth of God who will not see damnation and at the same time, God will fulfill His promise to deliver everyone who has claimed the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

*****2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

We live in a world that has no respect for the knowledge of God and false teachers and false preachers take advantage of our laziness in the Scriptures.

The Bible was not just written for the preacher to study and give us his thoughts.

The Bible was written so we can learn and see for ourselves what God has actually said!

The true teacher and preacher will help us to understand what God has written!

God knows how to deliver us from all things, but we must pay attention to what He says and not what man says.

God also knows how to rid this world of the unjust. Those who have not been "justified" by the truth of God!

God does not cause our suffering.

God does not tempt us in any way.

God does allow us to go through some of these things to make us stronger!

God knows how to deliver us out of the conflicts of this life.

We must remember most of our problems come because we have given in to temptation!

Some of our problems come because of Christian persecution!

The remainder of our problems are the same problems that everyone else has in this life!

God explains to us everything pertaining to life! Where life began and where life will end and then God teaches us how to avoid the pitfalls of life.

God knows how to meet the needs of His people.

There is much difference in the "unjust" and those who have been "justified" (the just)!

*****2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

So what do these false teachers and false preachers do? How can we know them besides the things that they teach?

They walk after the flesh! They walk just like those of the world!

The flesh in itself is not evil, it is what we do in that flesh is evil!

We are spirit and we are flesh.

The spirit will seek spiritual things and lead us to the Holy Spirit who will lead us the Lord.

The flesh will seek food, recognition, love, companionship, and the necessities of life and these are normal desires that we all have.

False teachers walk in the lusts of the flesh, which is covetousness, an evil desire for all things of the flesh, especially monetary things!

False teachers teach to satisfy the flesh and their message is to gain recognition and livelihood and that message will change according to their own best interest!

Just like the lost, because they are lost, they want to do things their own way!

They neglect the Lordship of Christ!

They neglect the truth of God!

*****2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

False teachers despise authority especially the authority of God!

They stress rights.

They stress freedom.

They stress liberty.

They stress the right to live in any way you want to.

The evidence of this truth can be seen in most every denomination today, who are led by false teachers!

These false teachers will question spiritual things.

They will have nothing good to say about the things of Heaven.

They will question the work of the angels even their existence.

They will question all the spiritual world.

They will doubt that there is a spiritual world that going on around us.

They openly reject that there is a Devil!

In doing so they are calling the Lord a liar.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

What does God actually think of false preachers and false teachers?

*****2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

2Pe 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

It is easy to see God does not think anything good about these foolish men and women.

We must keep in mind Peter is writing to the saints of God! "to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" 2Peter 1:1

When we look out across a field at magnificent bulls of the herd, we see brute beast who do not have a clue to the meaning of life and certainly not eternal life. Who are raised to be destroyed for their meat.

Much, Much, different from that under-shepherd who are guardians of God's flock.

These brute beasts only speak evil of the things of God they have no understanding and they never will, because they do not have the Holy Spirit living within them!

They will perish in their own corruption.

You know there could still be at least one more great awakening for the Church of God, where the truth of God will come back to the top.

Let's pray for this to happen!

But these will receive their reward!

What do we see of false teachers who are reaping great monetary things from God's people?

They openly show their wealth. Their jet plains. Their lifestyle. Making friends with the unbelievers of this world while rejecting the standards God has set for His people.

They share in the social affairs of the world still rejecting the Lordship of Christ.

They make great prayers without mentioning the Lord.

They in fact blemish all the things of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God has only one request for His people!

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

They are not pure in their relationship with the Lord because they have gone to bed with the world.

We need only look at the major denominations of the Church to see that these things are true!

They cannot cease from sin.

They do not condemn abortion, but they endorse it.

They do not condemn the sexual relations of two men.

They do not condemn the sexual relations of two women.

They do not condemn all sexual relations outside the marriage.

In fact they do not condemn sin at all, because they have not repented themselves and their names are not written down in the Lamb's Book of Life and they have condemned all relationships with the Lord Jesus Christ.

They have cursed the next generation of the Church (our children) because they do not teach the truth of the Scriptures.

I should say "all the truth" because they do teach just enough of twisted truth to keep you giving to them!

They then turn right around and accept the teachings of the world.

They condemn our Creator and the teachings of the Book of Genesis!

In the Bible, we see Balaam did have some knowledge of God, but at the same time he thought he could stand up to God and talk God into going against His own Words.

Balaam could not curse Israe, but he did give King Balak a plan that would cause Israel to stumble when he sent all numbers of women into the camps of Israel where fornication occurred.

Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Balaam was so caught up in his deceit that even the jackass he was riding was far smarter than he was in the things of the Lord!

Num 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

Num 22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

Num 22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

Num 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

Num 22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

Balaam was no more than a false teacher for hire just like those false teachers of today!

The Lord is not thorough in His condemnation of false teachers.

*****2Pe 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

2Pe 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

Water is the most necessary ingredient for all living beings, along with the air we breathe!

The fruitfulness of any land depends on the quantity and the quality of water that is available.

This is the reason that God has placed more water on this earth than there is dry land.

Water brings life!

A false teacher cannot bring life!

They are only empty wells that look refreshing from a distance, but only contain no water or poisoned water that is undrinkable.

We see great clouds sometimes that are pushed by the winds in which we see the opportunity of life-giving rain to nourish our lands, but some just blow on by having released none of moisture that is in them.

They looked like a great promise of life, but in the end, they kept it to themselves.

A false teacher may seem to carry the Words of Life, but in the end, they carry only death!

They may be great speakers, but their words are empty!

Their allure appeals to the lusts of our flesh, but they offer nothing for the soul, but the promise of God's judgment!

They lure the "Babe in Christ" and those who refuse to study the Word of God themselves, with great promises of truth that are only lies that destroy families, that destroy nations and then bring eternal death and they do these things intentionally.

In trials it would be called premeditation and they are true murderers who will answer to the Almighty God and they will be destroyed themselves!

If we are not rooted and grounded in the Word of God ourselves, we can fall into the traps of false teachers who are only seeking earthly wealth but bring only death to themselves and those who listen to their message!

They make great promises!

*****2Pe 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

The Lord Jesus Christ has released us from the bondage of sin, but these false teachers who make that same promises only involve those who listen to them in corruption and again make them servants of lies.

This is the one great goal of Satan.

Satan cannot touch the saint of God, but he will enlist false teachers who make the promise of life that is in actuality the promise of death or in the least, useless in the plan of God!

Their lie is that we are all entitled to a life of freedom, but that freedom is a life of selfishness.

A life of greed, a life of desire, a life of lust.

Freedom to seek their own pleasures anywhere they can find them.

It is in our sinful nature to desire more and more and the false teacher will expound on these things and we can notice that the pews are full of those who fall into this trap of the devil.

The message of God is real! If we are overcome by lies that lead to sin, then we have again become servants of sin and no longer the servants of God!

What is the truth?

*****2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

We can see that we have a strong warning from the Lord. Again the Holy Ghost is writing to the church!

"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ":

Any false teacher who once knew the Lord and has returned to the world, his fate will be much worse than if he had never begun a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we base our lives on the message of these false men and women, we will not be any better off than them!

We must understand we live in a polluted world and I am not talking about the filth of polluting nature. I am speaking of a world polluted with sin.

Pollutions in this Scripture speaks of immorality. We live in a nation that at this time is polluted with immorality!

It is immoral pollutions right now that come from indulging in the sinful pleasures of this world, which are not pleasures at all, but just rejection of the truth of God.

We cannot allow ourselves to be drawn back into the foolishness of this world and this is what will happen if we allow false teachers to get a foothold in our church!

It is only by the laws of God and the knowledge of God that we can escape these things.

God would not tell us these things if they were not true!

*****2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

If a dog returning to its vomit is not repulsive to us, then think in the mind of Christ of that one who said they loved Him, but have now rejected Him and returned to their sinful life.

What about the old hog that won a prize at the fair, but at its first opportunity will rush back to that mire to wallow in its own filth.

These things should sink in, because the Holy Ghost is warning us, the church, the saints of God.

God will deal with those false teachers and it will be extremely harsh, but here God is warning the Church the backbone of Christianity.

It is easy to fall back into sin!

It is more difficult to recover each time you allow this to happen!

God used that word entangled for a reason, because sin has its traps and snares, the more we struggle in these things the more we become in bondage again to sin!

Sin has always been terrible, but we are foolish if we cannot see that sin in this world is growing tremendously and we may not recover if we sink back into this sinful world today!

The world is full of moral corruption. To escape this corrupt world is of the greatest importance!

To fall back into the traps of sin can be devastating!

Our only escape is the knowledge of Jesus Christ and accepting His Word as the truth!

What did Jesus say?

Mat 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

We will never be able to clean ourselves up!

We must be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must be washed by the Holy Spirit and this washing begins when we are washed in the Word of God!

1Co_6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

After we are washed, we must to our very best to remain clean!

If we depend on the Word of God, then we must beware of those who distort the Word of God.

Not only by wicked men and women but also by those who continuously bring forth distorted Bibles.

Amen.

Let's Pray!

Dealing With Persecution

Dealing With Inner Anxiety

Book of 1 Peter Chapter 3:13-22

It can be said that "anxiety" is the state of mind when we are so concerned about someone or something, to our own harm.

1) This could be a genuine concern:

The Apostle Paul writing about his concern for the church at Philippi.

Php 2:20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

Php 2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

The Apostle Paul writing about his anxiety for all the "Body of Christ".

2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

2) This could be concern about the distorted perspectives of life:

The Lord Jesus Christ speaking of His concerns of teaching the Word of God.

Mar 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

The Lord Jesus Christ did not prohibit genuine concern for one another nor for the Church!

The Lord Jesus Christ did teach us to keep all these things in perspective!

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Listen as we see how Peter tries to help the persecuted church.

*****1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

The primary sense of these words is "if we are inoffensive in our Christian behavior" the world will be less likely to injure us.

If we are anxious to do good, we are less likely to suffer from doing evil.

God does not teach us how to handle our troubles received from sinful behavior!

God does teach us how to handle our troubles that come about from our righteous behavior.

Neither is Peter speaking of troubles that are just part of life itself, even though godly principles will work in all situations in life or they would not be godly principles.

As Christians we are all going to suffer persecution, some much more and much worse than others!

So how can we be assured that we will stand up under persecution and still be counted faithful?

How can we be sure we will endure and still keep the hope of eternal life and still live with the Lord forever?

There is only one way! We must take our stand on the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter what is going on in our life!

We must be followers of that which is good!

The only good we can be sure of, is those things that are according to the revealed will of God!

This means "for it is written" or, "thus sayeth the Lord" or, "for I the Lord" and other phrases had better be adhered to, when we take the Word of God in the context that it is written!

Sometimes, the only relief for those who are suffering persecution is when he or she remembers the promises of God that cannot fail, and remember at death we go immediately home to be with the Lord.

2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2Co 5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

One of the biggest faults of the church today is that we walk by sight and not by "faith"!

How did the Apostle Paul put it?

Act 21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Let's continue to learn from the Holy Spirit.

*****1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

1Pe 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

Some would say "how is it possible to be happy with any sort of suffering"? The truth is when we are focused on Jesus Christ and the works, that He did to cause us to be saved, then suffering in this world does not really feel like suffering. It just feels like we have joined our Savior in His suffering!

This is the key to our own relief of mind!

If we have done some good and then suffer because of it, we have just become aware of a world that calls evil good and righteousness bad!

One of the greatest truths in the Scriptures should keep us on the right path.

Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Doing good and being righteous are both conforming to the standard God has set for us!

2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

The Lord Jesus had no fear for what the world could do to Him, because He had come to this earth to do whatever it would take, that you and I and all who would believe upon Him would be linked once more to the Father of life, and that life eternal. Meaning once again joined to our Father in Heaven, in His place, even in His home with nothing in this world that could cause this to not be true!

Really only one thing is needed! We must sanctify the Lord God Jehovah in our hearts!

To be sanctified is to be set apart for God's use and if we suffer because of this, then we are being more like His So, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Notice Jesus was always prepared to give an answer but at the same time, not all people deserve an answer to certain questions!

Not all, but many will see our hope in the Lord, and they will ask about this hope seeking it for themselves, and this is what witnessing is all about!

Others, who see this as something evil will never understand until they see the true Christian and one day, they too will be ashamed of their actions.

Today the world sees the make believe Christian and it is so easy to see they are hypocrites.

Then the world will say anything bad about them, using them as an example of the Church to downgrade the Church founded by Christ Jesus.

The word church is does not mean every group of people with religion, it means only the "Body of Christ".

Religion is not the answer, "faith" in the work of Jesus Christ is the only answer!

When the world sees the true Christian, who gives them nothing to speak bad things about, they get mad and their hatred boils because the true Christian puts them to shame!

Tit 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Tit 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

It is far better to suffer for being a true Christian than to suffer for being a make-believe Christian.

It takes much more than being the child of Christian parents, or attending a Christian Church, or raising your hand in a Sunday School Class or Vacation Bible School. You must sincerely ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart. Even this does not build perfection except in the eyes of God.

It is the Holy Spirit who will build perfection for the world to see all your days as a Christian, until "perfection reaches glory" when we come face to face with Jesus!

This is much better!

*****1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

We could say, what is the will of God for our lives? That we follow in the ways of Jesus.

This is the will of God for all people. There are not many ways to serve God but only one and this is through His Son, Christ Jesus!

When we become too afraid to go out into the world, just because we may suffer just for doing so, and stay at home, we have gone against the providence of God.

For instance, God supplies the little birds their food, but they still have to go out and hunt for it.

We must go out into this world with the Word of God to reap the benefits of Christianity, even if we have to suffer for it!

It is not the will of God that we suffer!

It is the will of God that we be more like His Son and He suffered just so we can be saved and like the prodigal son, we are returned to the Father!

The world may not punish us for evil doing or it may, but God will certainly punish us for evil!

Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Why did the Lord suffer to begin with?

*****1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Jesus Christ came to our world to get His Father's children, and He had to suffer to do this thing to be obedient to His Father.

The Holy Father of all creation would never ask His Son to do this a second time!

It is the "Blood of Jesus" that made atonement for our souls! There was enough of that blood to save all in this world!

God has given this one chance to every to every human being that has ever lived, all the way back to Adam and Eve!

What did Enoch say?

Heb_11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Jud_1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

How do we please God? We accept His plan of salvation! There is no other way. This is what our "faith" must be based upon!

We accept that we are sinners in need of salvation. The "just" for the "unjust". "Dead in sin, alive by the Holy Spirit"!

How did God preach unto the spirits in prison? By Jesus in power the Holy Spirit, who has all the character and the traits of God, because He is God!

Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

The Holy Spirit is also God!

*****1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Many believe that the body of Jesus lie in that grave for 3 days and 3 nights because it is the truth and it is but God the Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of Jesus" was very busy and one of the things that He felt the need to tell us was that He went to Hell and spoke to those who rejected Noah.

Here is another thing that the Holy Spirit did not have to tell us.

Did He go to give them another opportunity to get to Heaven? NO!

He went to meet with the man on the cross beside Him, He had made a promise to.

He went to gather all the Saints of God in Paradise and take them to Heaven.

He went to get the keys to Hell.

He went to preach to all those in Hell, much as Abraham spoke to the rich man, telling them their days of torment would never cease. After all this is a part of what Hell is all about. An eternity of misery with no opportunity to escape!

You see while Jesus was busy about the things that needed to be done as promised, He also proclaimed His victory over death to all those who were now believers, but they had waited too long! They could only bow at the feet of Jesus.

Luk 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

One thing of Catholic Doctrine needs to be cleared up. Christ Jesus did not offer those in Hell a second opportunity because that would have violated the truth of the Scriptures. There is no way to leave Hell once you get there! There is not enough money in this world that can change God's mind about His plan of salvation!

Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

*****Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Luk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

This may be a terrible truth to those whose loved ones rejected the truth of God, but it is still the truth.

We need to concentrate on those around us who are still living!

While we are living, we may get many opportunities to come to the Lord or we may get only one opportunity.

Everyone will get at least one opportunity and most many opportunities!

At death all opportunities cease and they all will be like the rich man in this story of Lazarus the beggar!

In Noah's day there were 8 souls saved by water because they trusted in the words of Noah given to Him by the Holy Spirit!

What we realize is, the worldwide flood of that day was an example of being baptized after having that faith in the Word of God!

We also see the wrath of God to those who rejected the truth of God!

*****1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

We began our lesson talking about anxiety and in the end, we see our minds are cleared with a good conscience toward God that can come only by the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

You see we are saved by washing in water of regeneration by the Holy Spirit, who cannot do His work until we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and begin our personal relationship with Him.

Jehovah God is not a faraway God who cares very little about His creation, but is an up-close and personal God who treats each one of us as His child!

We are not saved by ceremonies because ceremonies cannot affect our conscience toward God through Jesus Christ!

How is our conscience cleared by the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Our conscience is clear, because if God the Father, raised God the Son up from the dead, by the power of God the Holy Spirit, it means God is able to save us from our sin and cause us to be "Born Again".

We can be delivered from all our offenses if we accept the work of the Son, the Messiah!

Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

God has made this thing to be so simple if we only have "faith" in what He says!

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There is no one else we can call on and be saved except the Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So who are we saved from?

We are saved from all who live under the authority of God the Father!

This means there is nothing upon this earth and nothing in Heaven who has more power than our God!

*****1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Where is the Lord Jesus Christ right now? Jesus is in Heaven.

How did the Apostle Paul say it?

1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

We must clearly understand that our conduct upon this earth must be based upon our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must also clearly understand that that most of this world have a conscience that is not of God and their conduct will never be of God!

1Co 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

Tit 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

We must clearly understand that there are many people in this world who try to do some things good, but because they possess no goodness, they cannot understand the goodness of God.

At the same time they have a witness of goodness that will not get them closer to salvation, but is recognized by the world as greater than Christian goodness. We live in an upsidedown world!

For instance a certain rich man has spent much money to provide water to places who had only polluted water. On the surface this looks like a good thing and it could have been. In the end water companies were formed that provides water only to those who can afford to pay for it. Those poor who died without water before still die without water afterwards.

It would have been good had it been free drinking water for all, but this is the way of the world!

Does this have anything to do with our lesson? No, but it does show the "conscience" of the saved versus the conscience of the lost.

I believe next week we will see the mind of Christ and it will give us a better understanding.

For our minds to be on Christ, we must know that there is no authority here on earth, nor in Heaven, that can overcome the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

When the Lord in Spirit went to Paradise, He openly showed He was in control of all power even the power of "resurrection" to new life, a life they would never know because they had rejected this life.

Was the Lord rubbing it in (so to speak) on those who were already in misery. No not really, but Hell is a place of misery with nowhere to go to get away from it!

Those who think they have the power to overcome the Lord Jesus Christ already live in a dream world that cannot be true!

Amen

Let's pray!